The German Armed Forces concluded with the European corporation "Airbus" (Airbus) contract worth 2.1 billion euros for a new generation of military communications satellites known as "Satcom B Double u 3" (SatcomBw 3), the company announced today, quoted by France Press, writes BTA.
The contract covers the production of two satellites, "as well as the ground segment (receiver stations), launch and operation for 15 years", Airbus said in a press release.
The satellites "Satcom B Double u 3" are the German equivalent of the French "Syracuse" (Syracuse), the British "Skynet" (Skynet) and the Italian "Sikral" (Sicral). They are expected to be located at an altitude of 36,000 km before 2030.
The impressive facilities weighing about 6 tons will be built on the basis of the "Eurostar Neo" platform. (Eurostrar Neo) of "Airbus" and will "have expanded capabilities to follow the rapid development of digitalization and the ever-increasing volume of transmitted data", notes "Airbus".
The German satellite manufacturer Oh Ha Be (OHB) will also participate in the execution of the order, as well as some small and medium-sized enterprises.
"After the success of the program "Satcom B Double Stage 2" (SatcomBw Stage 2), which we have been offering since 2009, this new contract strengthens our strategic partnership with the Bundeswehr by providing it with a significantly improved capacity for secure military communications, created with the ambition to be one of the most cutting-edge in the next decade," said the CEO of Airbus Defense and Space (Airbus Defense and Space) Michael Scholhorn, quoted in the press release.